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Goosander
(Mergus merganser)
: Race "americanus": "Common Merganser"
German name(s): "Gänsesäger"
Size: 58-72 cm; wing span 78-97 cm
Weight: 0.9-2.1 kg
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Goosanders are large diving ducks.
Their plumage is
dimorphic, i.e.
males
and
females
are different.
Male
Goosanders in
breeding
plumage
have an all-black head and upper neck. Also the back is
black. The entire front and the lower neck are all-white.
The inner half of the upperwings is also mostly white,
while the outer half is dark-grey. While folded, the wings
show as a white bar along the sides of the body.
The rump and tail are vermiculated grey.
Female
Goosanders have a brown head and upper neck with a white
chin patch and black lores. They also have a brown crest that
can be partly erected
when excited. The front and lower neck are creamy to off-white.
The sides, back and the inner upperwings are vermiculated grey.
The outer half of the wings are darker grey. The wings also have
a narrow black bar next to a broad white trailing bar, both of
which show while the wings are folded.
Male
Goosanders in
eclipse
plumage resemble
females,
but with a large white wing patch.
The irises of both sexes are dark. The bill is orange-red, with
concave upper mandible, a down-curved tip and serrated edges.
The legs and feet are orange.
Juvenile
Goosanders also resemble
females,
but with pale facial markings, in particular horizontal white
stripes under the eyes.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Goosander
(Common Merganser) at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Goosander (Common Merganser) is available
HERE
.
There are 3 races of Goosanders, two of which are partly migratory.
They are found in large parts of Eurasia and North America and in
Iceland (for details see e.g.
Wikipedia ).
The range of nominate race "merganser" extends
from Iceland, via parts of Europe, into all of mid-latitude Asia.
Their breeding range goes up to roughly the Arctic circle, while
they spend the winters in temperate to subtropical regions.
Race "americanus" (the Common Merganser) is found in North America.
They are permanent residents along the West coast of the United
States and in the Rocky Mountains, in areas where water does not
freeze during winter, and around the Lawrence River system, from
the American East coast to the Great Lakes.
Otherwise they are found as breeding migrants in the southern
half of Canada and in southern Alaska, while they spend the winters
in the United States (except the coastal fringe of the Gulf of
Mexico) and in the north-western corner of Mexico.
Race "orientalis" resides the central Asian mountain regions, in
far-western China and the western neighbouring countries, and
is not migratory.
In Europe Goosanders are partly migratory. They are found
primarily to the North of the Alps, in central and western
Europe, extending their range during the summer northwards
and eastwards.
Permanent populations exist in northern Germany and north-western
Poland, in southern, near-coastal areas of Scandinavia, in the
French/Swiss border region, in Scotland, Wales and Cornwall
and in the eastern half of Ireland.
They are found as winter visitors in the eastern half of
England, throughout central Europe, from northern France in the
West to Austria and the Czech Republic in the East, anywhere
to the North of the Alps, in areas adjacent to the permanent
populations mentioned above. There are also wintering grounds
in the Adriatic Sea, in the Bosporus area and around parts of
the Black Sea and of the Caspian Sea.
In summer, Goosanders extend their breeding range into western
Ireland from the eastern part of the island, and into all of
Scandinavia and all of eastern Europe, northward of about 50
degrees latitude and up to roughly the Polar circle.
Goosanders are found around both fresh water and salt water.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "merganser"
D. Wilczynska reports spotting Goosanders, nominate race
"merganser",
along the river Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, in April 2017.
M. Eaton reports finding Goosanders, nominate race
"merganser",
at Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018.
H. Dahlem-Senger spotted Goosanders, nominate race
"merganser",
on the river Rhine, between Ruedesheim and Eltville, Hessen, Germany,
in February 2023.
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Photos |
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Race "merganser"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
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Lateral view of a male Goosander in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
Lateral view of a male Goosander in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
Lateral view of a male Goosander in breeding
plumage; note how,
depending on the angle of the impinging sunlight, the bill can
look black (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
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NON-BREEDING |
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Covey of male Goosanders in various stages of moulting from breeding
plumage into eclipse
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
Lateral view of a male Goosandr moulting into non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
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FEMALE |
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Lateral view of a female Goosander
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, April 2017]
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PAIR |
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Pair of Goosanders; male in breeding
plumage
on the left, female on the right
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, April 2017]
Pair of Goosanders; male in breeding
plumage
on the left, female on the right
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, April 2017]
Female Goosander, right, with two males in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Eltville and Ruedesheim, Germany, February 2023]
Small covey of Goosanders; males in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Eltville and Ruedesheim, Germany, February 2023]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.